1. Field of the Invention
The present invention describes methods and devices related to an energizable ophthalmic lens with a smartphone event indicator. More specifically, the smartphone event indicator may be activated by a wireless reception of smartphone event data from a specified smartphone. The energizable ophthalmic lens may be capable of transmitting response data back to the smartphone, which may trigger a predefined action in the smartphone.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Traditionally, an ophthalmic device, such as a contact lens, an intraocular lens, or a punctal plug included a biocompatible device with a corrective, cosmetic, or therapeutic quality. A contact lens, for example, may provide one or more of vision correcting functionality, cosmetic enhancement, and therapeutic effects. Each function is provided by a physical characteristic of the lens. A design incorporating a refractive quality into a lens may provide a vision corrective function. A pigment incorporated into the lens may provide a cosmetic enhancement. An active agent incorporated into a lens may provide a therapeutic functionality, for example, treating glaucoma. Such physical characteristics may be accomplished without the lens entering into an energized state.
More recently, active components have been included in ophthalmic lenses, and the inclusion may involve the incorporation of energizing elements within the ophthalmic device. The relatively complicated components to accomplish this effect may derive improved characteristics by including them in insert devices which are then included with standard or similar materials useful in the fabrication of state of the art ophthalmic lenses.
Also recently, smartphones have become increasingly prevalent. The popularity of smartphones has prompted a surge in the demand for mobile applications, accessories, and devices that interact with the smartphones. Many mobile accessories utilize wireless communication between the smartphone and the mobile accessory. Wireless communication allows for effective interaction without the inconvenience of wired attachment to the smartphone. Frequently, mobile accessories, such as Bluetooth headsets, are modified embodiments of devices familiar to consumers. Such familiarity allows for ease of use without requiring extensive instruction.
It may be desirable to improve the process, methods, and resulting devices for realizing ophthalmic lenses with smartphone event indicators of various kinds. It may be anticipated that some of the solutions for smartphone event indicators in energizable ophthalmic lenses may provide novel aspects for non-energized devices and other biomedical devices. Accordingly, novel methods and devices relating to wireless communication capabilities with a smartphone in an ophthalmic lens are therefore desired.